Halloween Vlog

Create a Chain (Store) Reaction

Happy Halloween, my dear readers! You can read my thoughts on Halloween and Christians at Disturbed Christians. But for today, I'd like to share a website I discovered via Relevant Magazine's podcast.

As both a consumer and a human rights activist, I want to make sure that none of the laborers who helped make the products I buy were exploited. According to Call + Response, there are currently 27 million slaves worldwide, "most of whom work in agriculture and mining." Which means that many of the raw materials used for our common products were produced through forced labor.

Fortunately there is a way to find out which companies use slave labor. Chain Store Reaction allows activists to send letters to big companies asking if they are aligned with slave-free practices. A few of the companies, like Starbucks and Levi Strauss & Co., have responded with their pledges to uphold high ethical production. Others, like Ford and Disney, have responded in a way that, according to Chain Store Reaction, did not answer their questions.

If you are concerned about where your products come from, please visit the site.

Westboro vs. Rutgers

I'd like to give a wag of the finger and a tip of the hat. (Hopefully I won't get sued by a certain television personality.)

First, a wag of the finger to our favorite hate group disguised as a church--Westboro Baptist Church. The group recently brought their message of hate and bigotry to New Jersey's Rutgers College, specifically targeting the school's Jewish student community.

(Photo from Rutgers Student Blog)

Apparently, Fred Phelps and the gang got tired of hating gays, dead soldiers, and celebrities, so now they're going after Jews. At least they're equal opportunity haters.

But I'd like to give a tip of the hat to the students of Rutgers who did a counter-protest. As David from the Rutgers Student Blog explains, "I don't think [Westboro] were expecting 1,200 PEOPLE (students, people from CNN, and other kind souls; according to the RUPD) to be standing against them. Included in the counter protest were peaceful signs (and many random ones), diversity statements, and performances by Shockwave, Deep Treble, Livingston Theatre Company, Iota Phi Theta, and Kol Halayla, a Jewish a'capella group. The end result? As well as the WBC coming earlier than expected, they left much earlier as well. By ignoring their hatred with our fellowship, I'm sure the WBC knew they were wasting their time here." And here are some of the pictures:

(Source: Rutgers Student Blog)

(Source: my friend Sarah)

(Sarah)

The Bible says, "Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing" (1 Peter 3:9). And I think the students of Rutgers gave a great example of that.

To Snark Or Not To Snark

If you've been reading my stuff for a while you'll know that I can be pretty snarky towards my fellow Christians. I love Jesus, and I try my best to live by the Word, but I don't really like Christians that much. Especially Christians of the fundamentalist persuasion.

Yesterday I got to talking with some one, and this person said that Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize is "getting ready for the Antichrist." She then went on about the Rapture and the seven year Tribulation and all that jazz. Now as I've mentioned before, I personally don't think the President should have won the award, or at least not yet. But the more this person talked, the more I wish I had a pamphlet with me about amillenialism. I also should note that when I told her I went to a Lutheran Church, she asked me what Lutheranism was.

Then there's the dreaded e-word: evolution. Now since I went to a crappy public high school, we didn't really go over evolution. But from what little bit I've gathered here and there, I think there's some truth to it. Even Augustine and Calvin said that Genesis chapter 1 probably was not a literal account of the creation of the world. But if you suggest that to a fundamentalist, his or her head will explode with rage. To question the literalness (is that a word?) of the Genesis 1 is to question the literalness of the entire Bible.

But this morning I got to thinking about Romans 14, where Paul writes about how one man's faith allows him to eat anything, while another person's faith allows him only vegetables. "Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand" (verse 4). So by being snarky, am I judging God's servants? Am I being too slow to listen and too quick to speak?

What do you think? Can snarky comments lead to judging others?

The Perks of Being a Christian Hipster

This was originally written for Disturbed Christians. I wanted to see what Things Behind the Sun readers thought of this topic:

Several months ago Brett McCracken got the blogosphere talking when he identified a new subculture within the Church: the Christian Hipster. According to McCracken, the Christian Hipster prefers Sufjan Stevens over Michael W. Smith, Donald Miller over Joel Olsteen, and Wes Anderson over The Passion of the Christ. They are also attracted to Catholicism and liturgy, "even if they are thoroughly Protestant." Christian hipster are also wary of "weird and awkward evangelistic methods including (but not limited to): sock puppets, ventriloquism, mimes, sign language, 'beach evangelism,' and modern dance."

I know the #1 rule of being a hipster is not admitting to being a hipster, but McCracken describes me down to a T!

I think since we grew up during the age of the Religious Right and Megachurches, many of my Christian peers are dissatisfied with mainstream Christian culture. We feel like Jesus' radical message is too often watered down for the comfortable suburban lifestyle, far away from the cries of the poor and suffering--the very same people Jesus came for. Besides, even Rich Mullins hated "Awesome God!"

Of course this is probably just another church fad. Remember the Jesus People in the '70s?

Either way, I think I'm going to go to my local coffee shop, read Rob Bell, and listen to the Wagon Wheel.

A Glimpse Inside the Writing Process

It's been about five days since my last post, which, in the blogosphere, means you're practically M.I.A. No worries, I'm still alive. Just haven't been inspired within the past five days. Inspiration will probably come tomorrow, but in the meantime, I think I'll let Xelander Thomas here let you all in on the writing process:



Now if you'll excuse me, I need to take out the garbage.

Emily Gould and How Not to Blog

I was searching for videos on former Gawker editor Emily Gould and came across this video. It's an interview she did shortly after her now-infamous New York Times Magazine article about her rise and fall from blogging fame:



The video is about half an hour long, but I could only stomach 15 minutes. I don't want to be like Keith Olbermann and call Gould the "Worst Person in the World," with all the murderers, rapists, terrorists, and other no-goodniks in the world. However, with this video, the NYT Magazine article, and the infamous Jimmy Kimmel interview, I think it's safe to say that Emily Gould is the Worst Blogger in the World.

To me, Gould represents bloggers at their very worst: narcissistic exhibitionists who don't give a hoot about ethics and self-respect. These are the kinds of bloggers whose motto is--to quote Maxie Maggio in her parody song Blogger Face--"I'll show my t*ts if it gets me hits."

Now don't think I'm saying all personal blogs are garbage, or all bloggers who write about their lives are narcissists. There are a lot of great personal blogs out there in the blogosphere. No Ordinary Rollercoaster always cracks me up, and Accidentally Graceful is one hell of a writer! But for every Accidentally Graceful, there are a thousand other bloggers with absolutely nothing to say taking up space on the Internet.

That's why I had to leave 20-Something Bloggers. I felt like many of the bloggers (not all of them, of course) were too busy trying to be famous instead of writing really great blogs. And I was being sucked into that trap. I started writing stuff just to get attention. After a while, blogging wasn't fun anymore. I realized that I had strayed away from my original intent--to encourage, enlighten, and share with others. I shut down my old blog, left 20SB, and started all over again.

So here's my final warning to all bloggers out there: don't get too wrapped up in getting attention. Remember who you are, and why you started blogging. Don't be another Emily Gould.

Listen While You Write

I used to not be able to write while listening to any kind of music because it would distract me too much. But now I find that certain music puts in in a creative mood. It has to be music I'm familiar with, though; if it's a brand new CD I'll be too busy listening to it instead of writing. And it can't be anything too loud or heavy; I tend to write better with acoustic music, folk, indie rock, or jazz.

Call me a nerd, but I actually have mixed CDs custom made for certain kinds of writing. For example, I am currently working on a memoir about my struggle with anxiety and depression, and how my faith has helped me out throughout the years. While I work on it, I listen to a soundtrack I created specifically for this project. Here's the playlist:

1. Nick Drake - Pink Moon
2. Bon Iver - Lump Sum
3. Fleet Foxes - Myknonos
4. Iron and Wine - Carousel
5. Jon Foreman - The Cure for Pain
6. Bonnie "Prince" Billy - A Minor Place
7. Elliott Smith - Between the Bars
8. Patty Griffin - Useless Desires
9. Alexi Murdoch - Song for You
10. Mindy Smith - Out Loud
11. Beth Orton - Conceived
12. Death Cab for Cutie - Styrofoam Plates
13. Nico - The Fairest of the Seasons
14. Patrick Watson - Luscious Life
15. Nick Drake - From the Morning

Yeah, it's kind of melancholy, but what do you expect from mental illness?

What about you? Do you listen to music while you write? Do you have certain mixes?

One Day's Wages

Imagine if you only made under $1.50 a day. That means every month you would only have $30 to feed your family. Unbelievable? Well, according to UNICEF, over 1.4 billion people around the world live in extreme poverty. According to statistics:

* 25,000 children under the age of 5 die each day due to poverty-related causes.
* Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of all sickness and disease, and kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. Nearly 900 million people do not have access to clean water.
* Nearly a billion people are unable to read a book or sign their names.

Fortunately, it doesn't have to be like this.

Today marks the launch of One Day's Wages, founded by Eugene and Minhee Cho. The idea is that if you donate a day's worth of your wage--0.4% of your annual salary--it will make a big difference in the lives of many. According to the website:

# $20 can build a well to provide clean water for one person for 20 years.
# $10 can purchase a bed net to help prevent malaria.
# $45 can pay annual school tuition for one child.
# $125 can provide a woman with a sewing machine and job training

The Bible tells us,“If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.” (Proverbs 21:13) And if you're like me, you can easily spend a day's wage at the mall on any given Sunday! So instead of spending your money on a new gadget that will be outdated in a few years, what if you used your money to give some one else life? If your cup runneth over, could you possibly pour some of that excess into an empty cup?

Jim Blackmon Calls Me Out

A few months ago on Disturbed Christians I wrote about Jim Blackmon's "Jesus Christ is Coming" video, calling it the worst Christian music video ever. Apparently old Jim isn't too happy about it, because he just left a comment on that post (and this is exactly how it's written):

my name is Jim Blackmon and I dont appreciate the fact you are makeing fun of my work just because you missed the message! but, I guess you call yourself a christian????? ya thats funny!

To which I respond: Dude, it's a joke!

I'm not questioning this guy's faith or anything like that. Far from it, I'm sure he loves the Lord just as much as I do. But you got to admit, the video was pretty cheesy. I mean, the laser coming out of the guitar? The tambourine player with no rhythm? The fact that Satan has more screen time than Jesus? You can't help but laugh! Besides it's not like I'm the only one who made fun of the video; Jason Boyett wrote about it before I did.

Well, I can't really blame Blackmon. We creative folks are a sensitive bunch. Even if we create something that's crappy, we don't want any one to tell us.

So Jim, if you're reading this, I meant no harm. It's all just good fun.

The Good Shepherd(ess)

As I previously mentioned, I love how Margaret Feinberg has a way of making Scripture come alive. And with her new book, Scouting the Divine, she learns new things about God's nature through a shepherdess, a vintner, a farmer, and a beekeeper.

Since I grew up near the DC suburbs--the only time I ever saw sheep was at the county fair--I only have a vague notion of what Jesus means when He calls Himself "the Good Shepherd." But after reading about Feinberg's weekend spent with an Oregon shepherdess named Lynn, I have a better understanding of why the Bible uses the sheep/shepherd image to describe God and His people. For starters, in ancient times it was customary for the weakest members of society--children, women, old people--to tend to the sheep. So, as Feinberg writes, for Jesus to call Himself a shepherd, "He was intentionally associating Himself with the marginalized and outcast. Neither He nor His father played it safe in their titles--using only 'king' or 'redeemer'--but they reached out to the young, the weak, and the old by embracing the name shepherd.'"

Elsewhere Feinberg learns a sobering lesson. When she asks Lynn what happens if the sheep were to wander off on their own for a few weeks, Lynn's husband Tom answers with, "They'd be dead." Not only could the sheep be eaten by wolves, but they could easily wander off a cliff, or eat poisonous plants. "Sheep are not dumb," Lynn explains, "they're defenseless." It's something to really think about, especially if you're as prone to wandering off as I am!

Whether you're a long-time fan or just starting starting out, Scouting the Divine definitely will not disappoint.

Climate Change and the Church: An Interview with Jonathan Merritt

Well, it's Blog Action Day once again, where bloggers from all over the world write about one specific topic. This year's topic: climate change.

I recently had the chance to interview Jonathan Merritt, whose work with Relevant Magazine I've been a fan of for quite some time. He is the author of the upcoming book Green Like God, and is the founder of the Southern Baptist Environment and Climate Initiative.

Q: When did you become concerned about creation care?

A: I fell in love with this issue while sitting in a theology class at Southeastern Seminary. The professor was talking about the two forms of divine revelation. God primarily reveals Himself to us through His Word (special revelation) and His world (natural revelation). My professor said, "Even though special and general revelation, they are both revelation. So when we destroy God's creation, which is God's revelation, it is similar to tearing a page out of the Bible." This hit me hard. I would never deface the Bible because I have so much respect for God's revelation through Scripture, yet I was muffling God's voice in creation every day by my lifestyle. I've been passionate about creation care ever since.

Q: What does the Bible say about the environment?

A: First, God ascribed inherent value to the creation by repeating calling it "good" in Genesis 1. Then, God asked us to steward creation, care for it, cause it to flourish as an act of worship and obedience to Him in places like Genesis 2:15. Next, God revealed His heart for creation through setting up safeguards for it in the Old Testament Law and the Noatic Covenant. And we don't have to stay in the Old Testament to learn about creation care. Paul points out that the creation speaks to us about God's attributes--echoing the sentiments of the Psalms--and Paul also talks about how Jesus' work on the cross began a process of redemption for ALL creation. The life of Jesus is also incredibly revealing for many reasons. For example, Jesus' command to care for "the least of these" has powerful implications for creation care. As we know, environmental problems disproportionately effect the poorest people on earth.

Q: Why do you think so many Christians are unwilling to either address or acknowledge climate change?

A: There are many reasons for this, but I would like to point out a couple. First, there are political reasons. More liberal politicians have claimed the moral high ground on environmentalism for many years. Christians, who tend to be more conservative, have fled these conversations as a result. Additionally, there are theological reasons. Many people hold to a theology that asserts that God's sovereignty precludes man from seriously effecting the environment. Strangely, these same people would warn against human beings--also God's creations--from going outside and smoking a pack of cigarettes.

Q: How can the Church educate itself about climate change?

A: In my book, I don't address climate change very much. I want my book to be something that anyone, regardless of one's views about climate change, can learn about God's plan. I do, however, devote an entire appendix to this issue. I lay out what I call the virtue-driven approach, which I think is the best approach for Christians to take. This approach says, among other things, that we need to be honest about the facts and what they are indicating. We also need to be prudent in addressing them. In the face of conflicting evidence, Christians must always respond in prudence.

Q: What can Christians do about climate change?

A: Many of the things that will reduce our impact on climate are things we should be doing any way. Who doesn't want lower utility bills, cleaner air, and more trees? Start by reducing the amount of energy you use. This includes switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs, closely regulating your thermostat, and supporting responsible energy policies. We also need to drive less, carpool more, and purchase more efficient vehicles when the time comes.

Hearing the Sacred Echo

One of my favorite authors is Margaret Feinberg. She has an amazing ability to make the Word of God come alive. Later this week, I will write about her latest book Scouting the Divine, but today I'd like to look at her book from last year, The Sacred Echo.

Feinberg describes sacred echoes as "those moments when God speaks the same message to my heart again and again. I call them sacred echoes because I've noticed that throughout my relationships, daily life, and study, the same scripturally-sound idea or phrase or word will keep reappearing until I can no longer avoid its presence. Is this mere coincidence, or is there something more?"

Indeed I've have many experiences where several things have come up, and I wonder if God's trying to tell me something. This is the most recent example:

A couple of months ago I had a dream where I was interviewing Renee Altson. Her story has deeply touched my heart. At one point in the dream, she told me, "It's not about what happens to you; it's about how you handle it."

Then last week I was reading Anne Jackson's Mad Church Disease, which is about overcoming burnout in ministry. I don't work with the Church, but I found the book to be extremely relevant nevertheless. At one point Jackson says she was abused by some one she trusted in high school, and for a while she basically self-medicated the pain. Through a counselor, she eventually realized that, "even though I needed to let go of the guilt I was carrying in thinking that the abuse was my fault, I needed to take responsibility for working through the pain. It was irresponsible to cover up the hurt or ignore. God had so much more waiting for me if only I could face the pain and loss, grieve it, and then accept the good He had planned for me."

Also, ever since I wrote about my history with being bullied, I keep thinking about scriptures that talk about God's strength. According to Bible Gateway, there are about 58 verses that include the words "Lord" and "strength." For example, 2 Timothy 4:17: "But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth."

I don't know about you, but I think God's trying to tell me that I've been dealing with my issues the wrong way.

I have a tendency to bury things deep down inside, and when something triggers me all those things leap and say, "Hey, remember us?" Also, I have tendency to try to make myself whole, although it never works. But ever since I wrote that Disturbed Christians post, I've felt . . . free, in a way. Like I no longer had to pretend. So maybe God is telling me that I don't have to cover anything up anymore, and to rely on His strength instead of mine.

Am I making sense?

Awarding the Tree Before It Bears Fruit

I try to keep my own personal political opinions to myself on this blog. Even though I have strong beliefs, I'm not educated enough to really analyze current events. However, there is something that concerns me, and I hope I won't stir up a hornet's nest too much.

As you all know, President Barack Obama was just rewarded the Nobel Peace Prize. According to reports, the award was designed to encourage his initiatives to reduce nuclear arms, ease tensions with the Muslim world and stress diplomacy and cooperation rather than unilateralism. While I applaud Obama's efforts to end nuclear weapons and reach out to the Muslim world, I haven't seen much fruition yet. Let's face it: no one's giving up their nukes yet, the Afghanistan war is going nowhere, and the last time I checked technically we're still fighting in Iraq.

Now don't think that I'm joining any Tea Party. I prefer to stay away from political parties and labels. [Instead of labels like "liberal," "conservative," or "libertarian," I prefer to call myself simply a "peacenik."] All I'm saying is don't award the tree before it bears fruit. When Martin Luther King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, his words had a tremendous affect on the Civil Rights movement. With Obama, right now it's just words, just planting seeds. It's too soon to tell whether or not those seeds will bear fruit.

Well, that's enough political stuff for now. Three day weekend coming up!

At least they're not Morton Downey Jr!

Anyone who knows me knows that I love to make fun of political blowhards like Glenn Beck and Keith Olbermann. My main beef with them is that instead of informing the audience about what's going on in the world, or engaging in a civil discussion examining both sides of controversial issues, they just yell and scream and call people names. It's basically "infotainment," with an emphasis on the entertainment part.

But I will say one thing about these modern-day blowhards: at least they're not Morton Downey Jr!

If you don't remember him, think of him as Bill O'Reilly meets Jerry Springer. Downey had a penchant for yelling at his guests, making up facts to back his points, and sometimes blowing cigarette smoke in people's faces. Here's a clip of him "interviewing" two B-movie producers:



Almost makes Fox News look tame. (Keyword: almost)

So despite whatever kind of shenanigans or whacked-out theories Beck can muster, I will say that it's not as bad as the Morton Downey Jr. Show!

Michael Moore: "Would Jesus Be a Capitalist?"

Yesterday Michael Moore wrote an article for the Huffington Post asking if Jesus would approve of capitalism. Here's an excerpt:

I have come to believe that there is no getting around the fact that capitalism is opposite everything that Jesus (and Moses and Mohamed and Buddha) taught. All the great religions are clear about one thing: It is evil to take the majority of the pie and leave what's left for everyone to fight over. Jesus said that the rich man would have a very hard time getting into heaven. He told us that we had to be our brother's and sister's keepers and that the riches that did exist were to be divided fairly. He said that if you failed to house the homeless and feed the hungry, you'd have a hard time finding the pin code to the pearly gates.

Now I'm not really a Michael Moore fan. While I admire him for challenging the status quo, he often comes off as a left-winged version of all the Fox News loudmouths. Also, I'm not ashamed to admit that I don't know anything about economics. You might as well ask me about physics. I'm not even going to pretend to know anything about the free-market system and how flawed it is and what the government should do, etc.

Having said all that, though, I think Moore has a point. If last year's economic meltdown taught us anything it's that, despite what Gordon Gekko says, greed is NOT good. And it's not just the bureaucrats or shady investors that are to blame--you and I are just as guilty.

I'm reminded of something Eric Bryant wrote last year on his blog:

As Americans we want more than we can afford. The banks didn’t make us take out the loan for the house or car that was beyond our means. Congress and the President didn’t make us buy the big screen HD television with a credit card we couldn’t pay off by the end of the month.

Granted, the cost of gas and groceries doesn’t help us. Obviously, losing our jobs when our companies make cuts or go out of business doesn’t help either.

Regardless of our circumstances, we need to make decisions based on a grateful perspective rather than a greedy perspective.

Greed says “I deserve more.”

Greed says, “I want more.”

Gratitude says, “I am thankful for what I have and not mad about what I don’t have.”

Gratitude says, “Anything I have is a gift from God.”

So, does Jesus frown upon capitalism in-and-0f itself? I don't know, but I'm pretty sure He wants us to use our money much more wisely.

I'm Shaved!

What Kind of Story are You Living?

As anyone who knows me can tell you, I am a huge Donald Miller fan. Blue Like Jazz is like the Catcher in the Rye for many of us young Christians. So naturally I couldn't wait for his new book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. And it's been well worth the wait, too!

Many people consider the book to be a sequel to Jazz, and in a way it is. A Million Miles picks up a few years after Jazz, when two filmmakers approach Miller about making a movie based on his memoir. But there's just one problem: Jazz is a series of essays, and doesn't have an actual story, which won't work for the big screen. So the three men brainstorm about what makes a good story--conflict, resolution, character change--and eventually Miller discovers that he hasn't really been living a good story. So Miller decides to make a change. He hikes the Inca Trails with friends, finds his estranged father (a very touching scene), and bikes across America to raise money for Blood: Water Mission.

The book makes me think about my own life, and what kind of story I'm living. I must confess, I'm a pretty passive guy. I like sitting around and watching the world go by. But lately, thanks to some things that have popped up in my life, I'm realizing that I can't grow as either a Christian or a person by constantly being passive. It's time for me to start living a better story.

What kind of story are you living?